Novak Djokovic is no longer the fans’ favourite at the All England Club.
The world number two’s name was mentioned just once at Wimbledon on Wednesday, and it became clear that he had quickly become the most hated player at the tournament.
Djokovic drew flak from a hostile crowd after Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti won a thrilling five-set match against Taylor Fritz to set up a semi-final showdown between Djokovic and the Serb.
The 25th-seeded star was in disbelief with the win, which sees him reach his first Wimbledon semi-final.
“I have no words,” he said. “It’s hard to speak, but I’ll do my best. I don’t think I know yet what I’ve achieved. I’d like to thank all the people who came to support me and the Italian crowd.”
But when he was asked about his next opponent, things took a turn.
When Djokovic’s name was mentioned, the crowd immediately erupted in booing.
“Yes, he definitely knows the court conditions and the stadium better than I do,” Musetti said as boos rang out from Centre Court.
“All joking aside, he’s a legend everywhere, especially in the last few years at Wimbledon, where he’s really done the unthinkable. I’ve had the chance to play against him a number of times, so we know each other really well. I’ll do my best, I’ll give it 100 percent and we’ll see how it goes.”
The moment immediately caught the attention of tennis fans, with journalist José Morgado writing: “Oh my goodness…” he wrote, echoing the thoughts of the majority.
Djokovic was absent on Wednesday after his quarterfinal opponent, Alex de Minaur, withdrew from his last match due to an injury in the final moments of the match.
The bitter feud between the crowd and Djokovic began after the 37-year-old defender beat Holger Run in the round of 16, when he slammed the crowd for showing him no respect.
“I want to say from the bottom of my heart and I appreciate all the fans who stayed here tonight out of respect,” Djokovic said, exasperated.
“And to all those who choose to disrespect a player – in this case me – have a good night,” he added, mocking his tormentors.
After being told in a television interview that some fans were yelling “loons” rather than booing, Djokovic hit back.
“They were. They were. I don’t accept it. No no no. I know they were rooting for the Loons but that’s an excuse to boo,” he said.
“Look, I’ve been on tour for over 20 years. I know all the tricks. I focus on the respectful people who pay for their tickets. And I love tennis and I appreciate the players. I’ve played in tougher conditions. Trust me, you’re no match for me.”
The “booing” controversy reached new heights the following day when Djokovic angrily walked out of a BBC interview after being bombarded with questions.
Djokovic gave an interview to the BBC but after being asked three questions about the incident, the seven-time champion said he had had enough and politely decided to end the conversation.
“I don’t regret anything I said or did on court,” Djokovic said. “Are there any doubts apart from the crowd? I mean, are you just focusing on that or are you just focusing on the match? That’s already the third question. I’ve said what I had to say.”
Djokovic will face a hostile crowd when he takes on Musetti on Friday.
